I enjoyed reading Julian Dyer's piece and find his points especially
well taken.  I am a member of the American Theatre Organ Society too.
During a theatre organ concert, if you look at the audience, what do
you see?  Gray ... lots of gray-haired people.

There is something to the idea that grayness -- or at least older
people -- go with the territory of collecting historical objects.  My
business is in rare coins (http://www.stacks.com), and has been all of
my life.  I've collected music boxes too, and a few other things, and
enjoy the pursuit immensely, especially the combination of an object
and the history behind it.

Many, if not most, avid collectors of music boxes have to be old
enough, possibly even with gray hair, to afford to collect.  The most
enthusiastic teenager or person in his/her twenties, absent winning the
lottery or an inheritance, probably cannot afford a Regina 27-inch disc
changer, or a Welte orchestrion, or a Nicole frères overture box.  They
can, however, afford an iPod and enjoy it a lot.  I don't believe own-
ing an iPod prevents enjoyment of the music of long ago.  Classical
music is 95% "long ago" and of a distant generation; but it is still
widely enjoyed.  In fourth grade my son, Andrew, said that Beethoven's
9th was his favorite melody.

In the field of rare coins, among the most active areas are nineteenth
century and earlier issues, including silver dollars, gold coins, and
more -- none of which any present-day collectors can associate with
their childhood.  Even more to the point, coins of ancient Greece and
Rome are avidly sought; yet for all numismatists, their closest brush
with the coins' origins is through history books, the coins themselves,
or perhaps visiting Rome or Athens.  No one has any family recollec-
tions or traditions to draw upon.  Again, for seriously collecting
ancient coins, or American gold coins, or quite a few other numismatic
specialties, a budget is required.  This usually means that the col-
lector is into his thirties or forties.  Some even start to collect in
their retirement.

That said, there are many coins, such as Statehood quarters, that are
available inexpensively.  Many nineteenth century silver dollars cost
$20 to $100 and are affordable.  This has drawn the younger generation,
including many who are called by the generic name of "young numisma-
tists," generally those below age eighteen.

I believe I am correct in saying that antique music is still very much
in style.  Many of us can remember "The Sting," in which the main
melody was Scott Joplin's ragtime "Entertainer Rag."  Kids, adults,
everyone, loved it.

However, the collecting of antique automatic musical instruments is not
affordable for the younger generation.  There is scarcely a Regina,
Polyphon, or Symphonion disc music box in nice condition that can be
bought for less than several thousand dollars -- and these are really
entry-level items.  For a basic coin-operated piano in nice restorable
condition the market value seems to be upwards of $5,000, and if you
have a professional restorer bring it back to life, then the price
doubles or triples.  Theatre pipe-organs, restored and installed, run
into the tens of thousands of dollars, even for a small one, not to
mention the space needed (out of the question for 99% of the people
living in Manhattan, for example).

Despite all of these hurdles, the automatic musical instrument hobby
seems alive and well, but more in the listening mode than in the owner-
ship mode.  By way of analogy, few of us own a chamber orchestra or
symphony orchestra, but millions enjoy listening to them.  One way to
grow the hobby is to increase the availability of listening venues.
Camaraderie then runs high, and get-togethers promote friendship and
personal contact, which is sometimes all too rare in today's impersonal
world.  Perhaps analogous to automatic musical instrument listening is
the viewing of films.  My grandchildren love watching the silent movies
of Harold Lloyd, Laurel and Hardy, and others.  Nearly twenty years ago
I presented in my town of Wolfeboro, N.H., the multiple-part road show
of silent films arranged by the National Endowment for the Arts, titled
"Before Hollywood."  In our town of slightly more than 5,000, it was
standing room only for a half dozen or more evenings, filled with lots
of enthusiasm and excitement.

These are some random thoughts, giving my view that nostalgia is here
to stay, and that Greek coins, Regina music boxes, and more, will con-
tinue to be enjoyed, although it may be only the "gray" population that
is able to form significant collections of them.

Best wishes,
Dave Bowers